Breaking Cosmic Barriers Part 1: Aftermath
by Yosep
Summary: Believing Cosmo to be dead, Tails struggles on whether to accept it or not. At the same time, Cosmo has to adjust to a new life with her family, which includes Lucas. Could love really stay strong between two worlds apart?
1. Welcome Home

_Hello readers, Yosep is here! It is kind of strange how my last fanfic parodied the third season of Sonic X, and now I'm writing a new fanfic honouring it. (Let me set the record straight again: I was trying see what would happen if the third season didn't take itself seriously. It was pretty much just for fun.)_

_But still, quick description of why I decided to do this: If you read my first fanfic "A Flower in Time", you could probably understand why I wanted to write this. Basically, back then I started to get interested in the Tails and Cosmo pairing, even though the only knowledge I had was on Sonic wikis. I didn't know about the depth and potential of this pairing, so I figured a story about Cosmo coming back would be a good start in my fanfiction career (sans that "Super Jackle Party" idea). And what did I do? I ended up with pointless canon character appearances, subplots resolved too quickly, unnecessary pairing tags (and rendering the "Romance" genre tag useless), and "exciting" scenes written solely because my brain comes up with over-the-top scenes too easily. Clearly I could've done much better!_

_After actually watching the Sonic X Season Three episodes (the original Japanese version, of course), and also reading better Tailsmo fanfics, I felt the need to redeem myself. Now I could've just read the more popular Tailsmo fanfics and favourited some of them, but then I noticed that almost all of them have Cosmo returning from the afterlife, which contradicts my personal beliefs (even though the original show heavily implied at such an afterlife, but I digress). So with this fanfic, I want to be different from the others by showing Cosmo (along with other Seedrians) alive, but still in a world apart from Tails. How are they alive? Well, read to find out! (Fact: I am still trying to figure out a plausible reason). Reviews are appreciated, as always, though I doubt I'll get many (TailsLovesCosmo is still working on the "After the Metarex" series; how do I compete with that?) But I guess that's enough introduction. Let's get through the part that many people seem to have the most trouble with: the beginning._

**Breaking Cosmic Barriers**

**Part 1: Aftermath**

Chapter 1: Welcome Home

Several days have passed since the Metarex were defeated at the hands of Super Sonic and Super Shadow. For the previous days, the Blue Typhoon had to soar back toward Mobius while carrying Eggman's ship. Inside the second control room, Chris Thorndyke checked the estimated time to arrive at Mobius. "We should land in about an hour." he told Sonic, who was waiting with Amy, Knuckles, Cream, Cheese, and Rouge.

"Finally! I won't have to spend more time with this thief!" said Knuckles as he gestured to Rouge. "You won't be touching the Master Emerald anymore!"

Rouge crossed her arms and sneered, "Well it's not like I would want the Emerald if it's in pieces! Besides, my life doesn't center around the Master Emerald." She glanced at Knuckles and added, "Your life, however..."

"Save it for when we get home!" interrupted Amy, stepping in between the rivals. Knuckles peeked around Amy to glare intensely at Rouge.

Cream sighed, "They're at it again. At least we'll be home in just one more hour!" She turned to Cheese and continued, "And then our life will be back to normal again! ...Well, almost to normal." Cheese sadly nodded, knowing the same thing Cream was thinking about.

"You're still worried about Tails, aren't you?" asked Sonic. He first noticed Cream's concern for Tails when Sonic led him back inside the Blue Typhoon. True, she and everyone else tried their best to comfort Tails, including Eggman and his robots (which was weird, since everyone thought they'd be much more sadistic). But Cream was the only one that continued to look after Tails. "How was he when you saw him last?"

Cream froze, almost afraid to retell what happened. But Cheese put an arm around her and stared glumly at her, knowing she must tell. Cream then said, "He... Tails was just looking. At the seed." The others nodded in understanding. "And he... he was aware of me. But he didn't say anything. Tails looked at me as I spoke, and I think he understood, but still..."

"We know, Cream. We know." Chris took a quick glance at the computer before telling the others, "I'm not sure how Tails is going to recover from this. It's been days and he still feels horrible."

"We _tried_ to help him get over it." added Knuckles. "But if we keep helping him, we'll eventually have him accept what happened."

"No..." breathed Cream. Now everyone looked back at Cream in confusion. "It won't be that easy. Don't you remember what happened with Emerl?" Already she started getting tears in her eyes at the memory. "I had to _kill_ him, for the safety of everyone else. And he was my _friend_."

"So?" asked Rouge with a hint of interest. "You pretty much had the same situation as Tails has."

"But I'm afraid he's going to keep being in grief for a loooooong time." added Amy, knowing where Cream was going with this. While Emerl was Cream's _friend_, the one Tails used to have was evidently much, much more. "You do remember what he said, right?" Of course everyone remembered what Tails said. Everyone heard his words loud and clear, right before he pressed the trigger. "If Sonic was the one that had to die, I would feel just like Tails. Maybe even more so..."

"We'd _all_ feel like Tails." Chris noted; Sonic was a big inspiration to everyone, so of course everyone would mourn him. But to be fair, Sonic never had to be born into a race fleeing to survive. He never witnessed evildoers murder his friends and family, nor never had to experience survivor guilt. However, this was all too true for the one Tails had fallen for.

Rouge wasn't as sad as everyone else. "Still, wasn't Tails the type of boy to think girls have cooties and all that?" She should know; Rouge defeated Tails in the Chaos Emerald tournament by kissing his cheek. "I'm no love expert, but Tails is still, what, _eight_? There's no way he could've really _loved_ her, right?"

All of a sudden, Cream stomped toward Rouge and shouted, "Of course Tails loves her! You think he couldn't know about true love? We've been in life-threatening situations! We _had_ to mature! _I_ had to mature! I had to accept the fact that there's merciless things in the world, in a few days!"

"Sheesh, settle down!" Rouge groaned, though inside she was as shocked as everyone else.

Cream still yelled, "Tails had to fight for his life! _She_ had to mature to survive, even before the Metarex attacked her family! So you say that we couldn't know about true love?" Quickly, Cheese clung to Cream, and she slowly calmed down. Still, Cream glared at Rouge and continued, "I know Tails. He is still in love. That is why it's hard for him to get over it." There was complete silence for a few seconds, then Cream walked out of the control room with Cheese loyally following her.

"...You _really_ have a way with children, Rouge." Knuckles said disapprovingly.

Rouge glared at Knuckles and retorted, "How was I to know that she'd be so... touchy?"

"Come on Rouge. Even _I_ know how unstable kids are these days." grumbled Knuckles.

"Whatever. Eggman must be going crazy without me by now." Rouge said as she headed out.

"And I better check on the Chaotix to make sure they don't leave a mess behind." said Knuckles as he walked out of the room.

Sonic turned to Chris and remarked, "I think things aren't going to be normal for a long time."

"You and me both." sighed Chris as he turned back to the computer.

* * *

><p>On the Crimson Egg, Bocoe and Decoe were partying in celebration of finally coming home. "At last, we are coming back from our adventure!" cheered Decoe.<p>

"And we'll be regarded as heroes!" Bocoe added as he turned up the stereo's techno music.

Suddenly, Dr. Eggman walked into the room, and he looked slightly depressed. Bokkun quickly shut off the radio and scolded the robots, "The doctor's sad, so you gotta act unhappy too!"

"Enough, Bokkun." sighed Eggman before he sat down in his chair. "Yes, I'm glad to come back home. But we still need to be respectful; Tails has lost somebody and still hasn't got over it. Partying like it never happened wouldn't be dignified."

"Dr. Eggman? Why do you care so much about Sonic's friends?" questioned Decoe.

"I thought you'd be uncaring as usual!" added Bocoe.

Before Eggman could continue, Rouge walked inside. "Hello Rouge. What have you heard from Sonic?"

"We're about to land in less than an hour." Rouge glanced at Bocoe and Decoe, who hid the stereo behind their backs. "Anyway Doctor, I noticed you've been surprisingly mellow for the past few days. What gives?"

The doctor looked outside and responded, "Do not get me wrong. I still despise that hedgehog and his animal friends. But even I know that someone, a child even, doesn't deserve to lose someone they care about."

"I... never knew you were that deep." Rouge remarked. Perhaps Eggman was sad that he never got to know one of his relatives, Maria, and what happened several days ago reminded him of what happened to Maria.

Bocoe walked up to Eggman and patted his shoulder. "Hey, at least you won't have to worry about anyone else taking over the world before you could!"

"Yeah, this is a time to get back to your genius plans!" Decoe said as he handed Eggman a plastic cup filled with fruit punch.

Dr. Eggman took a sip and he slightly grinned. "You know, that reminds me of the sample of Metarex armour I got when I was working for them. See, I could study the material and..."

"And there's the evil doctor we've all been missing!" commented Bokkun as he started walking away.

"Hold it!" Rouge snatched Bokkun and brought him close. "You still remember our 'deal', right?"

Bokkun cautiously peeked at Dr. Eggman, who still boasted about his new plan to Decoe and Bocoe. "Uh, yeah. The... deal..." Rouge scowled and dragged him to the hallway. "Okay, okay! I still know about the deal!"

"Good." Rouge took out a heart shaped locket and dangled it in front of Bokkun. "So that means in exchange for your future obedience, I shall keep this from being out in the open where anyone can find it."

"Um, just one quick question..." started Bokkun sheepishly. "Why do you still want me to trick Eggman into doing your plans? I mean, he probably will take time to get started on a new plan and-"

"Oh, and how long would that be?" Rouge opened the locket for herself and snickered, "Enough time to have this secret fly about all over Mobius?"

"AAAH! Of course not! I mean-" Bokkun gulped and sighed, "Fine, I'll still do your favours."

Rouge bent down to pet Bokkun's head. "Good boy. Well, we shall land very soon. I wonder if Eggman would still need me after the Metarex mess." She walked down the hall, swinging Bokkun's locket into her clothes.

"Y-yeah. Uh, good!" stammered Bokkun. He sat down against the hallway wall and covered his head. Even without the locket, Bokkun could see her face clearly in his mind.

As the Blue Typhoon descended toward Mobius ground, all the members of the ship gazed out the window. Already the population was recovering from the damage the Metarex inflicted. Several people tried to catch up with the Blue Typhoon as it prepared for landing. Of course, reporters raced ahead of the crowds, ready to get first coverage of the journey. And as the Blue Typhoon neared home, the passengers watched wistfully at the regenerating world, knowing that despite the Metarex disaster, life was finally going to get better.

Except for Tails. He knew things were about to get much worse.

* * *

><p>Darkness. Everything felt... numb. This wasn't death, was it? Or perhaps this was the feeling you'd get from waking up in the afterlife. But even so, wouldn't you feel painless? There wasn't any pain; just fatigue. Or was it paralysis? She couldn't know for sure, she was just waking up.<p>

She tried comprehending what was happening. What happened previously? There was a light, gentle and sad. And now... this?

Slowly, her body regained the sense of feeling. Apparently, she was lying on several small, slender things. It felt like... grass! She struggled to move her limbs, but they felt like she never used them at all. Still, she strained to lift her arms and push herself off the ground, yet she was too weak. Then she figured if she could still move her limbs, she could at least open her eyes...

A clear blue sky filled her vision. It took a while for her to get used to the brightness, but then she started to love it. She could feel her mouth slowly turn into a smile. Soon, sound started to reach her; it almost sounded like other people were there. She turned her head to the left to see grass and a tree, tall and healthy. Then she turned to the right and saw figures trying to stand up.

She tried standing up again. This time, her strength was enough to lift her upright. She quickly grabbed on to the tree for support. Balance eventually returned to her. Then she looked around again and saw the figures more clearly. Some were wearing robes and had flowers growing on their heads. Seedrians, alive? Either this really was the afterlife, or something else entirely. Her voice felt groggy, so she took a breath of surprisingly fresh air. "Eh... ex... cuuuse... me?" Another Seedrian walked nearly past her, but then that one stopped and turned around. This one was tall, had purple eyes, blue hair and dress, and a single large flower on top of her head. "...Galaxina?"

Galaxina's eyes widened and her mouth opened into a joyous smile. "COSMO!" She quickly hugged her younger sister tightly, sobbing from happiness. "Oh, Cosmo..."

Cosmo too put her arms around Galaxina and managed to speak, "I-I've missed you... so much!"

"Cosmo, I am so glad you could be here..." said Galaxina, still tearing up. "Come, everyone seems to be heading to the clearing up ahead." Galaxina put an arm around Cosmo and helped her walk ahead. As they stepped with the other Seedrians, Cosmo observed the landscape. Everywhere, there was vegetation of all kinds, and every so often there was a river or a pond. In fact, it fit the description of her original planet that the Seedrians talked about. Speaking of which, there were other familiar Seedrians that walked nearby.

At last, Cosmo and Galaxina reached the center of the clearing. When Cosmo looked ahead, what she saw filled her with joy. Another Seedrian was there, having teal hair and one flower growing on her head. Instantly, Cosmo remembered the vision she had before she transformed to stop Dark Oak. "Mother!"

Hertia gazed at Cosmo and Galaxina, and she opened her arms wide to embrace her daughters. "Galaxina, and Cosmo! Oh, thank goodness we're all together!"

Suddenly, a male voice exclaimed, "My daughters!" Now Cosmo was filled with fear. It sounded just like...

"Lucas!" Hertia turned to a male, dark purple Seedrian that was walking toward them. Behind him were several other males that seemed shocked to see females for the first time in years.

Instantly, all chattering was silenced. On one side, the females were mixed between scared and angry at the males. On the other side, the males were surprised to see the opposite gender staring back at them. For several seconds, the groups stared at each other, not knowing what to expect or what to do.

Hertia, however, stood next to Lucas and looked around with a proud smile. "Welcome to New Greengate!" she announced. "...Welcome home."

* * *

><p><em>Well, that's it for now. Was it a good start? Are there things to improve on? Please let me know, and then we'll see more of Cosmo and her new life. See you next time!<em>


	2. Rebirth of a Civilization

_I'm not dead! I'm not dead! I'm not... Ahem. Sorry for the long wait, but sometimes my interests cycle through different things that it takes a while to get back to something. What prompted me to finally start the second chapter was the fact that a sudden burst of Tailsmo fanfics (apparently due to a contest from someone called The Moonstar9) put my fanfic to the 2nd page of Cosmo fanfics._

_Anyway, thanks for the reviews so far, though I was kind of hoping for TailsLovesCosmo to start giving an opinion on my fanfic. I don't know if I have to ask the author myself or just to be patient. But still, now that I'm back, I just want to get some things out of the way: Now that I'm taking a serious approach at a fanfic, I can finally justify a T-rating. 4Kids this most definitely is not! Speaking of which, the only 4Kids stuff that will be in this fanfic are the use of the name Galaxina and Cosmo's last words to Sonic (Don't worry, I'll fit it in somehow). There might be other things from 4Kids, but like I said, mainly original Japanese._

_Oh yeah, got to get a disclaimer down (why do I always forget about those?):_

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic X nor the characters used in them. The main Sonic characters are property of Sonic Team which is a part of SEGA. Sonic X and its exclusive characters belong to TMS Entertainment. The only things 4Kids own are Galaxina's name and certain edits.

Chapter 2: Rebirth of a Civilization

Cosmo couldn't believe it. Just a few seconds ago, she was the happiest she had been in her life. But as quickly as the happiness came, it was all gone when Dark Oak showed up. Though why was her mother calling him Lucas? Why did he refer to her and Galaxina as "his daughters"? And why does Hertia seem to forgive him, even though he just attempted to conquer the entire universe?

"...What is going on here?" asked a Seedrian in the crowd, though with much different reasons for confusion than Cosmo had. Several other Seedrians started murmuring their thoughts likewise.

"Please, allow me to speak." said Hertia as she rose her hand. When the crowd was back to silence, Hertia continued, "I know you are all confused as to why we are here. However, I am sad to say that not even I know what has happened." The crowd started an uproar until Hertia rose her hand again. "Nevertheless, what I _am_ sure of is that no matter what happened, we are all very much alive and together."

"Together?" questioned one of the female Seedrians. "As in, together with the very ones that _betrayed_ us and hunted us down?" Many of the other females likewise scowled at the males; Cosmo couldn't help but to scowl with them.

This time, Lucas was the one that spoke up. "Everyone, please give me a chance. I know that what I have done for the past several years was horribly, terribly wrong. But my defeat has changed me; I am no longer Dark Oak. From now on, I am back to being Lucas, the one that will think of the welfare of everyone and the planet." He looked around, but many of the females were still skeptical. "...And I am very, extremely sorry for the evil that I have done."

Like the other females, Cosmo wasn't believing Lucas' words. Did he really think that they were just going to forgive him instantly? For Cosmo's entire life, she was taught to avoid the Metarex as they were the enemies that destroyed her mother's planet. And all along the Metarex were actually her own kind! And _now_ she knows that her own father was the start of the series of disasters that plagued the Seedrians. Now he expects them to forgive him? After _all that_?

Apparently Hertia was willing to do so. "I understand your distrust of Lucas. But please know that when I saw Lucas again, for the first time in years, I could tell that he no longer has the darkness that was motivating him to lead the Metarex." She put her arm around Lucas and added, "He is telling the truth. Dark Oak was defeated, and now he is just Lucas."

Cosmo still couldn't believe it. Galaxina shared her thoughts, and she put her arms around Cosmo protectively. "Cosmo, I don't trust him either." she whispered. "But if Mother trusts him, then we should accept it until he shows his true intentions." Cosmo nodded shakily.

Hertia now spoke to the crowd, "As for our new home, you can see that there is a lot of land here for a new beginning. But since this is the beginning, we have to live like the beginning of our race."

"What do you mean?" questioned one of the males, who subsequently received glares at his ignorance.

"She's saying we must rebuild our life with only natural tools!" explained another male. "You know, out of rocks and trees and-"

"We will not harm our fellow plant life for our structures." Hertia said sternly. "If we are to start over, it will be the right way. The only things we will use for buildings are rocks and minerals, as they have no consciousness of any kind."

"In other words, we're back to the Stone Age." muttered another Seedrian dryly.

Lucas knew the morale of the crowd was getting low. He then said optimistically, "I know we have to start undeveloped, but remember that our minds and memories have a clear vision of what we _used_ to have. And if we know in advance how our fully developed technologies work, we can achieve our former glory much faster than the first time our race started civilization!"

"Hooray!" cheered some of the other males in agreement.

All this time, Cosmo was watching events unfold before her. True, this was a fresh start of society, but one of the minds behind it was a power-hungry monster that used Cosmo against her will. Now Cosmo was determined to not let Dark Oak succeed again.

The Seedrians found piles of large rocks at the base of a mountain. Since the rocks were heavy and far from the suitable building site, the males were assigned to most of the material lifting and building. Most of the females were in charge of basic layout for adequate living conditions. At the edge of the area, Cosmo sat and stared into the open land. She wanted to be happy that she was alive with her family members that she thought were dead. But still, Dark Oak...

"Uh, Cosmo?" Galaxina's voice made Cosmo turn toward her quickly. "You mind if I sit here?"

"Of course not." said Cosmo. It was the most she said in a couple of hours. Galaxina gently sat beside Cosmo and watched the construction work. Cosmo looked again at Galaxina and remembered how everyone that was brought back to life seemed like they just woke up. But of course everyone died at different times, so how did everyone view their death and subsequent awakening? "Galaxina? Do you remember exactly what happened before you... got here?"

Galaxina glanced at Cosmo, then stared to ponder. "I don't remember everything _exactly_..." She seemed afraid to revisit her memories. "I just remember the Metarex were attacking our ship... and I thought... I was never going to see you again." Galaxina briefly wiped her eyes and continued with a smile, "But as it turned out, I _did_ get to see you again. Along with Mother and our friends."

Cosmo took a second to comprehend Galaxina's viewpoint. "So, you just remember being... killed? And then just like that, you woke up and found me here?"

"That's pretty much how I viewed it." Galaxina could see the confusion on Cosmo's face. "Why? What happened to you?"

Cosmo now recalled what happened to her. She saw her mother in a vision, prompting her to crush her amulet and grow. Cosmo become a tree, locked on Dark Oak, thus giving the opportunity for Tails to-

Tails! How could Cosmo have forgot about Tails all this time? The fact that everyone was suddenly coming back to life seemed to take her mind off him, until now. Cosmo felt guilty for not thinking about Tails. He must be extremely depressed by now! But if Cosmo was alive, he shouldn't be sad if he at least _knew_ Cosmo was okay. If only Cosmo could reach him again, to at least tell him that she was all right...

Galaxina saw Cosmo's growing discomfort. "A-are your memories... disturbing?"

Cosmo got even more worried. How could she explain to everyone else what she had been through? She knew that Lucas, if that's who he is now, was never fond of animals, so would everyone else be prejudiced too? How would they feel about their young girl having feelings for one outside her _species_? Cosmo gulped and told Galaxina, "I-it's a very long story. I think our 'father' knows what happened to me."

"Speaking of which..." Galaxina watched Lucas give orders to some of the men. He certainly didn't seem to be plotting anything at the moment, but still... "Cosmo, maybe you should sneak in there. Just to check if he's actually making any harmful plans."

"Why me?" asked Cosmo in a sort of confused tone.

"If he _is_ plotting something, he wouldn't carry it out in front of someone young like you." reasoned Galaxina. "Don't worry, I've got your back."

Cosmo figured that Galaxina was right. And it would keep her mind off Tails, maybe just for a minute. She cautiously got up and walked into the building site. None of the working Seedrians seemed to mind. Cosmo carefully avoided the moving rocks pushed around and worked a path to Lucas. She took a quick breath, then quietly stepped toward him. But then,

"Hey Cosmo!" said a familiar voice behind her.

"Aah!" Cosmo quickly turned around to see a large, lime-green Seedrian wearing an orange robe. "Y-you're Yellow Zelkova..."

He chuckled in a friendly tone and said, "Nah, Hector's my real name. We just came up with new titles when we became Metarex kings to show how we changed." Hector gestured to himself to add, "But, now that we're back to what we used to be, we're back to using our original names."

"Hector, get back to work!" snapped a voice Cosmo recognized as Black Narcissus. A dark-grey Seedrian wearing a black robe scolded, "We were waiting for those large stones you were supposed to bring here!"

"Come on, Elias!" moaned Hector. "I was only talking to Hertia's daughter. You know, to make her feel comfortable around us!" Cosmo felt far from comfortable around the ones that tried to kill her friends.

Elias glanced at Cosmo and said, "So I see..." He bent down toward Cosmo and greeted, "Nice to see you again, Cosmo, on better terms this time." Cosmo shakily nodded. "Don't worry, I'm no longer the guy that wants to bribe you into tricking your friends."

"That's what I was trying to tell her!" Hector exclaimed. "But she's been giving us the cold shoulder, lately."

"Because she still doesn't trust us." spoke up a light-green Seedrian wearing a grey robe. "Hello Cosmo. You might remember me as Pale Bay Leaf, but now I'm back to Nicholas, self-appointed Leader of Technological Advances."

"I thought _I_ was going to lead Technological Advances!" Elias groaned. "I _am_ the smart one!"

"No, you are the upper class one." reminded Nicholas. "Even when we were Metarex, you were focused on being an aristocrat!"

"HELLO?" shouted a new voice, which stopped the argument and made everyone turn toward a pale red Seedrian wearing a crimson robe. "Did everyone forget about ol' Dennis here? I guess you did since you left me to be torn apart in that black hole!"

Hector whispered to Cosmo, "Don't mind him. I guess he's still upset about his death."

"It's not the _death_ I'm upset about!" sneered Dennis. "I used to be Red Pine, the first of the Metarex Kings to have a chance at defeating those animals! It was my chance to show my worth!" He started breathing heavily and continued with a scowl, "But not only did I fail, I had to pay the price! I wanted to at least be _alive_ when Dark Oak carried out his master plan, but, but-"

"Settle down, Dennis." Elias said as grabbed Dennis' shoulder. "What you failed to do doesn't matter here. In fact, considering the circumstances, you are the most innocent of all of us."

Nicholas turned to Cosmo and assured, "Sorry for Dennis giving you a shock. I suppose he's not used to being a regular person by now."

Cosmo was still shocked at the fact that the rest of the Metarex kings were here too. For all she knew, they could _all_ be hiding Metarex regrets inside their natural bodies. And these used to be Dark Oak's top leaders! They couldn't change that fast, could they? She looked back at Galaxina, who was still standing at the edge of the site. Galaxina was worried, but she seemed sure that they weren't going to harm Cosmo now.

Dennis calmed down and sighed, "I'm sorry. It's just that I have that weird feeling from being ripped to shreds in one second and waking up here in the next. That sort of contrast is... it's hard."

"Don't worry, we all felt our own contrasts." spoke up Lucas as he was walking toward them. Instinctively, the group of former Metarex kings stood in a straight row between Lucas and Cosmo. "You don't have to show subjection anymore. We're all partners here." The others went back to surrounding Cosmo and Lucas. Cosmo stood still when seeing Lucas face-to-face. "I commend you, Cosmo. You were able to assist your friends in defeating me and letting me know the errors of my ways. Your mother must have raised you well."

Cosmo just crossed her arms defiantly and said, "My mother was a tree when I was born. My sister had to raise me most of the time."

"Still, your mother must have been helpful to the refugee colony." figured Lucas. Cosmo knew that it was true; even though Hertia was a tree, she could still voice her opinion to other members. Lucas smiled with open arms and continued, "But now, my successor Cosmo, and my daughter-"

Cosmo glared at Lucas and retorted, "You may be a close relative, but you are not my father." Even if it was true that Lucas was her father, Cosmo couldn't think of accepting him as such. And now he makes her _his_ successor?

Lucas frowned and asked, "How is it that you are still so gloomy?"

"I'm not gloomy, _Lucas_." Cosmo said with contempt. "It's just that everyone's been calling me _your_ daughter too much ever since I woke up." Lucas' expression sobered even more. For a split-second, Cosmo felt a bit of guilt. Was she being too judgemental on him? She shook her head. This used to be Dark Oak, the one she had to stop to save the universe. He still deserved scorn, right?

"I see." Lucas gestured toward Galaxina and said, "You can go back to your sister. We still have to build everyone's houses." Cosmo stepped her way out of the group and then hurried back to Galaxina the way she came.

"Thank goodness you're still all right." Galaxina sighed in relief as she hugged Cosmo. "So, did you see if Lucas was planning something?"

Cosmo looked back at the males. They were conversing as if nothing happened. In fact, their conversation with her seemed quite normal. But then again, "normal" is an easy facade to pull off. She looked back at Galaxina and stated, "If he _is_ plotting something... he's not at it alone."

Deep in Cosmo's mind and heart, she had one thought at the core of her emotions: _Tails, I hope you're not suffering as much as I am._

* * *

><p><em>Good, finally finished this chapter! I hope you like the direction I'm going for Cosmo's plot. If there's anything that could be improved for later chapters, let me know! Next time, we finally see what is going on with Tails! How do I make a plot done several times before seem original? Find out next time!<em>


	3. Condolences and Confessions

_I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry (etc.)... You ever had an idea for another fanfic that somehow is much more exciting to think of than the one you're working on? I was like that for a few months. Then this fanfic was pushed to the 2nd page of Cosmo fanfics, but for some reason I wasn't that motivated to continue (however I got motivated enough to finish this one when I saw that TailsLovesCosmo updated After the Metarex). I sort of feel like how Lisa Simpson felt in the episode where she tried to write her own novel by herself but kept giving into excuses to procrastinate. Now, I don't _need_ reviews, but I still really want them, and they would motivate me to continue working. Well, it is almost summer, so I should be rolling now._

_Anyway, you remember how I said I would make a fandom plot done several times already seem original? Here's the thing: if almost everything has been done before, then perhaps I should do _nothing new_. __**However,**__ I would instead put a _new angle on it_. Or rather, a new take on a common plot device, or different expansion. Which is why throughout the rest of this fanfic, you might see homages to other certain Tails and Cosmo fanfics. Sorry if it seems like I'm ripping off someone else, but it's not like I'm trying to copy it and claim it is all my idea._

Chapter 3: Condolences and Confessions

"Okay Cream, Tails' home is just ahead." Amy noted, carrying a wrapped box in her arms. Cream and Cheese moved beside her, both filled with hope that their idea will work. "Chris should be coming here with Knuckles right about now."

"Unfortunately, you're right." grumbled Knuckles as he reluctantly walked behind Chris. "Look, I like the plan, and I'm just as concerned about Tails as anyone, but it's still my duty to protect the Master Emerald!"

"You mean what's left of it?" Chris corrected with a small chuckle, which made Knuckles look away indignantly. "By the way, does everyone have their presents?"

"Yep!" replied the rest of the group as they held up their wrapped boxes. They continued walking on the path until they saw Tails' home.

Chris looked around and asked, "Where's Sonic?"

"Right here!" shouted Sonic as he sped right next to them. Despite his speed, Sonic was usually the last to arrive at any occasion.

"So, we're all here and ready." stated Cream, and the others nodded. The group aligned themselves toward the door and Sonic knocked on it. A few seconds of silence passed. Though Sonic was the impatient type, he still calmly waited in front of the door.

At last, the door swung upon to reveal a rather confused-looking Tails. He looked curiously at the arrangement of his friends, who tried smiling to conceal their uncertainty. Tails sighed, shrugged his shoulders and finally said, "Well, come on in, I guess." He stepped to the side and let his friends walk inside.

Amy hastily whispered to Cream, "Oh, and try to be really, really friendly." She quickly smiled back at Tails before heading to the living room. Everyone set their presents in the center and then sat in the chairs and couch. Tails sat in another chair and waited for what they had to say.

Sonic slightly fiddled with is fingers, trying to come up with the right words. "Uh, Tails... we really understand what you're going through. It's very hard to deal with the loss of a... a good friend."

Chris quickly came to Sonic's assistance by adding, "So all of us got these presents since we were thinking of you. You know, to show that we're here for you."

"And we'll make sure you feel better every step of the way!" Cream cheerfully said as Cheese nodded likewise.

Tails just smiled a tiny bit. "Okay."

"Now Tails, don't try holding back the tears," Amy consoled gently.

"No really, I'm fine." said Tails, calm as ever.

"See, he's perfectly okay! Said it himself!" Knuckles hurriedly pointed out. He started getting up and continued, "So if Tails is good, then I can get back to-"

Amy shoved Knuckles back into his seat. "No one's leaving until we see Tails' reaction to our presents! ...Go on, Tails. Open mine first!"

Tails picked up Amy's present and unwrapped it, only to find a box of silverware. "Uh, it's a bunch of knives, forks, and spoons."

"They're fancy utensils!" elaborated Amy. "So they can be used at other get-togethers. Oh, and they're made of stainless steel, too!"

Tails still had a quizzical look on his face. "Um, thanks Amy. I'm sure they'll be useful for when I eat."

Amy got displeased at Tails' lack of appreciation. "Look, I was struggling to find a great, affordable gift at the store. Given the rush, this seemed like a good enough present! So you _better_ use it!"

"Easy, Amy. Tails can check out my gift now!" Sonic said as he handed his friend the present. Tails unwrapped it to reveal a large, hardcover book that was titled "Aerospace Technology 2nd Edition". "I knew you'd be interested in that stuff, and you might even get ideas for your future machines!"

"Thanks, Sonic. Even though I already have the 3rd Edition in my bookshelf." said Tails as he glanced over at the newer book.

Sonic shrugged sheepishly. "Eh, I guess that's what happens when you buy from the _bargain_ book store."

"I'll still keep it as a collector's item, I guess." Tails stated, placing Sonic's gift next to the other book. "I think I'll open Knuckles' present next." He peeled off the wrapping to find a picture frame with a copy of a painting of an aging dog wearing a bowtie and a monocle.

"See? I got you a famous painting and a cool frame for the price of the frame!" boasted Knuckles.

"Knuckles!" spat Amy with a glare. "That 'famous painting' is just used to demonstrate the frame. You're supposed to replace it with a picture that Tails would actually care about!"

"Hey, I was in just as big of a rush as you were!" Knuckles shouted. "I can't find a suitable picture to put inside it!"

"No no, the picture's okay." Tails said with a small sigh. "I'll put it up on a really blank wall." He set the frame to lean against the wall, then picked up Chris' gift. Tails took the wrapping off to reveal a notebook. He flipped through the pages to see several sketches of gadgets and machines, along with Chris' handwriting explaining them.

"I spent a lot of time coming up with new ideas, and I felt like you should keep them." said Chris. He turned to one page and added, "I even had concepts for upgrades to the X Tornado, including stuff when it is in the X-Cyclone form!" Chris raised an eyebrow and asked, "Uh, you _did_ rebuild the X Tornado when we got back, right?"

Tails seemed to cringe for a split-second. "I was... getting around to it."

Amy jabbed Chris with her elbow and sneered, "What were you thinking? He's still in mourning!"

"It's okay. I like the ideas." said Tails as he put the notebook on the table. "Someday we can build some of these things together."

"Sure thing!" agreed Chris with a smile. "Well, I guess Cream's present remains." He was about to reach for the present to give to Tails, but Cream grabbed it to give to the fox herself.

"Here, I hope you like it." she said in a somewhat nervous way. Tails unwrapped the gift to find inside a portfolio. He opened it to find several sketches of the X Tornado and Hyper Tornado, but with a different colour design on each page. "Cheese and I came up with the designs ourselves." Cream began. "I thought these would be cool for your planes, and if you needed a new look, these can give you ideas."

Tails briefly examined some of the designs. Indeed, some of them actually looked very creative! Some had curved stripes, others made use of red and blue, and a couple even had logos representing Sonic and the others. This was the first time Tails noticed Cream's artistic talent. "Wow, this... is really good." Tails finally said in a tone much more sincere than the other times. He cleared his throat and continued, "Thank you. I guess I could decide on a design when I rebuild the X Tornado."

"Chao chao!" piped up Cheese with excitement.

Tails took a deep breath and said to everyone, "Well, thanks again for the presents, and I shall see you again tomorrow."

"Wait, you don't want us to stay some more?" cried Amy. "How about we play one of Chris' games?"

"No, the gifts are good enough for me today." stated Tails. "You can leave now; I'm better now." Everyone else was confused at Tails' order, but they figured it would be useless to continue staying. So calmly they got up to walk out of the house.

"Be sure to take it easy, buddy." Sonic advised prior to exiting.

Before Cream got outside, she turned to Tails and shyly said, "I hope we have been helpful to you."

"Ah, yes. Goodbye." Tails said. When Cream went outside, Tails shut the door and watched out the window. He saw the group part their seperate ways and waited as each member walked out of sight. Now he was alone. Tails pounded his fist on the table and moaned, "Oh, I am such a pathetic kid!" He stomped to his room and muttered, "My friends could show their true feelings well, but somehow I could not! For what? Just for me?" Tails glanced back at the presents that were now far away from him; it was clear that a couple of them had more thought in them than others. But even so... "What am I to them? Do they expect me to be a crybaby all the time because of _Cosmo_?"

Tails saw the pot of dirt that contained the seed. He remembered how his friends helped him find a pot to plant Cosmo's seed. Yet was it worth it? Tails checked the pot again to find, yes, a bit of green poke up from the dirt. At last, an answer to his desperate questions! It might not be Cosmo, but it was definitely all that was left of her.

The fox slumped to his bed and stared at the ceiling, with thoughts about his friends again intruding his mind. "Why would they bring _me_ presents when _Cosmo_ is the one that suffered worse? ...Well Sonic, Chris, and Cream at least gave me stuff that I would like. But Cosmo wouldn't like those things! ...Except Cream's gift. They're best friends, and I'm sure Cosmo would love to be as creative as Cream." So his friends might still care enough about Cosmo. But what about Tails? "What did I, a dull and scared boy, do? Just mope around and feel sorry for myself, not trying to make things any better? And yet when others try to help, I just pretend that nothing is wrong! Does that make me selfish?"

Tails turned to look at the pot, as if in expectation of an answer. "Maybe I am just a selfish coward. That is why I refuse help from others now." How one thing has led to another! Tails wouldn't be like this if Cosmo, the girl he truly connected with, hadn't made her grand sacrifice. Actually, Tails wouldn't be like this if he never truly connected with Cosmo in the first place.

But why did he? When did he really feel something with Cosmo? Tails looked back up, and his mind searched some of his earliest memories to find out.

He recalled the one evening that Tails set up just for Amy, Cream and Cheese; he wanted Sonic to be there too, but apparently he was probably off on his own adventure. But all that mattered was to get special footage of the 500-year meteor shower. Tails had set up the video camera when Amy and Cream brought up something about wishing three times before a shooting star disappears. Apparently it was a charm that originated in Chris' world. Tails never really believed in those sorts of things, but the variety of charms was interesting. Soon the shower started, and the sky was filled with lights heading to the lower left of the horizon.

But all of a sudden, there was one bright light, one that didn't go with the path of the shower. Instead, it was headed toward them, about to change their lives. Tails and the others knew to duck just in time, and then they heard the subsequent explosion far behind them. The group had followed the trail, forgetting about the meteor shower they came for in the first place, to find a new clearing. Amy was the one to point out that someone was there. And of course, next to an impacted ship was the small plant girl that would cause everything else.

Of course Tails wouldn't have known that then. He was already intrigued that there was such a being as a walking plant-like person, and also relieved that this person was still alive. After Amy suggested bringing the girl to Vanilla's house, Tails wondered if the girl was from outer space. It seemed likely with the meteor shower going on.

They all placed the girl in Cream's bed, and eventually she woke up. When Cream asked if she was from outer space, the girl nodded. However, Tails found it strange that the girl was very intent on finding Sonic and not speaking to anyone else, even if they were friends of Sonic. Still, Tails figured she would be more friendly once Sonic came back. But all of that changed when a new enemy lowered down to Mobius, and for the first time Tails heard the girl gasp "Metarex".

She didn't have time to explain what the Metarex were; the girl wanted it to be stopped. Naturally, Tails was the only one around with a ship capable of stopping something, so the girl decided to go with him. He took the girl to his X Tornado and took off to fight the Metarex. Tails noticed the girl's nervous expression and tried using techniques to take down the machine quickly, but they failed. He asked again what the Metarex was, and this time the girl answered that the machine was used to rob life from the planet. Tails felt a bit more concern for the girl's safety, even when she bumped her head on the glass when she saw Sonic. Then again, Tails was usually concerned about others that were frightened, yet the fact that the girl trusted him first seemed to make her different.

The girl also recognized Sonic as a hero that used the Chaos Emeralds, so Tails tried all he could to assist Sonic, but it was to be in vain. From what the girl said, Tails learned that the Metarex wanted the Planet Egg of Mobius. The girl's sadness in explaining how the loss of the Planet Egg makes the planet lose energy made Tails more determined to slow the Metarex down, but even then the X Tornado couldn't follow it into space. Tails felt guilty in failing to stop the Metarex, and he felt more guilty when he agreed to open the window for the girl, only for her to jump out. His guilt was interrupted by the glow of the Master Emerald, signalling the arrival of an old friend.

That was then. A few hours spent with the girl Tails would come to know as Cosmo, and even back then he felt an attachment to her. Then again, it wasn't a deep attachment as it was mostly related to Tails' heroic motivations, those to protect those in fear and to be at their assistance. But even so it grew...

Tails quietly stepped over to the pot, looking again at the small, green sprout. "...Even when we first met I wanted to keep you safe... Why couldn't I keep you safe in our darkest hour?"

* * *

><p><em>I hope you understand the tone I'm going for. Just to let you know, it's not going to be all talk and discussion in Tails' story, as even I would be bored with that stuff. There <em>will_ be interesting action. BTW, that part about Cream's gift is actually a reference to a fanfic that was _not_ a Tailsmo fanfic, but instead a multi-pairing fanfic (with one pairing being TailsxCream) that was published before the third Sonic X season started and was finally finished five years later. Can you guess which fanfic I'm talking about?_

_BTW in case you haven't checked Chapter 2 again, I decided to change Red Pine's real name from Timon to Dennis (yes, it's still derived from an ancient Greek name(yes, that was the idea I had for naming the male Seedrians)). I figured people would take the character seriously if he wasn't named after a certain animated meerkat._

_Anyway, you know the drill. Read and Review!_


	4. Dinner with Lucas

_So what's my reason for the delay this time? I was busy with my college things. Nonetheless, I shall give you this chapter since I found time for the break and from whenever I had extra time. Here we get to see my fanmade information about the Seedrians based on actual plant facts, yay! Oh, and also important character-related thoughts._

_P.S. I noticed no one guessed at which fanfic I was referring to in Chapter 3 with Cream's gift. It is called "HomeMade Vs Storebrought Gifts", and you can find it under my favourite stories. I already gave a couple of reviews on it, and I'll just say if you were a fan of Archie Sonic in 2003, you should check it out._

Chapter 4: Dinner with Lucas

Constructing the stone houses took a couple of weeks. During those weeks, the Seedrians had to settle with sleeping under trees each night. It wasn't so bad for them, and they could handle the cool nights. Besides, Cosmo experienced much colder temperatures when she was on the planet Blizzard, and she felt okay then. It was the other plants that couldn't survive in drastically lower temperatures then they were used to.

But on New Greengate, their stone structures were complete at last. Granted, rocks were not good at insulation, but at least they blocked some of the winds. Most of the Seedrians just hoped that they would reinvent superior construction before the fall and winter months.

To celebrate their first complete step toward their former glory, they were having a feast in the main gathering building. The stone walls were arranged in a large circle, and gradually each rock was balanced to make a low-rising dome. There was only room for a few long, makeshift dining tables also made from stone (Hector personally enjoyed smashing the rocks to be used).

At the center dining table, the former Metarex Kings sat along one side while Hertia, Galaxina, Cosmo, and a few other close female Seedrians along the other. Cosmo nervously noticed that Hertia was directly across from Lucas, Galaxina was across from Dennis, and she was across from Elias. Perhaps it was just a strange coincidence.

Their appetizer was a freshly made garden salad. For the Seedrians, it was okay to eat plants because the edible ones were not of their own species. The sight of the salad made Cosmo remember helping Galaxina cultivate food back on their refugee ship. Back when her father was the enemy...

"Cosmo? I asked you a question." said Galaxina, bringing Cosmo's mind back to the present.

"Oh, yes?" she replied a bit hastily.

"Do you feel alright to eat?"

"Uh, yes. Of course." Cosmo slowly grabbed a bit of lettuce to chew on, keeping her head low. For a while, no one said anything. The more silence there was, the more Cosmo's mind dwelt on how odd her life still was. Eating with the very ones that tried to kill her friends? Just the thought of it already made Cosmo sick inside. She had to say _something_ to break the silence. "So..." Cosmo started. Everyone at the table was suddenly attentive to hear what she had to say. The truth was, Cosmo just wanted to speak for the sake of speaking. She strained to come up with something meaningful. "Um... when do you think... we'll be able... to have forks?" Inside, Cosmo scolded, _That's the dumbest thing I ever said!_

"Soon, Cosmo. When _someone_ is able to craft them, that is." Lucas said, glaring at Hector.

Hector groaned with his full mouth, "Come on, Lucas! I'm not one of those super, extra patient crafts guys! Why don't ya get Nicholas to make them? He is leader of _Technological Advances_!"

Nicholas sighed, "I haven't got our technology back to modern levels yet. If I did, we would have all the forks Hector needs!"

"Wait, as much as _I_ need?"

Elias snickered, "Of course. You would probably need _two_ forks to avoid the mess on your palms."

Hector paused his munching to look at his hands. "Oh, so on our first official meal, you're insulting me, huh?"

"Were you always like this?"

Everyone looked back at Cosmo. Once again, she was in the hot seat. "Uh, I mean..."

"Oh, I get it. She's still used to seeing us as tyrants." said Nicholas knowingly. He turned back to Cosmo and answered, "Yes, believe it or not, we had feelings too when we were Metarex."

Cosmo could hear Dennis grumble, "We also had a better life back then, too."

"I heard that!" snapped Lucas. Back to Cosmo, he added, "The point is, we've always had personalities that identified us. The difference now is that we're focused on making a new, correct civilization as opposed to a universal empire."

"I understand." said Cosmo. She could believe that the former Metarex were always acting like how they act now. She just wasn't sure whether the "new, correct civilization" part was true.

A few other Seedrians came into the room, pushing a large pot of vegetable soup and carrying several bowls. The Seedrians used the bowls to scoop up some soup and then serve it to the ones eating. Cosmo took her bowl and sipped some of the soup. She didn't mind the fact that it was barely lukewarm; to Cosmo, the soup made her remember the times Amy and Cream made their own vegetable soup for her. It was a reminder of how much her friends cared about her and their efforts to protect her.

Dennis, however, thought otherwise. When he took a small sip, Dennis spat it out in disgust. "Blech! This soup is too cold!"

Nicholas groaned and put his hand to his forehead. "We've established that we don't have the technology to create utensils. I'm pretty sure that's enough to tell you that we don't have heaters!"

Dennis retorted, "Well obviously, we should use a fire!"

"_No_."

Everyone at the table turned their eyes on Hertia, who was standing and glaring at Dennis. Even though Hertia's anger was only directed at Dennis, Cosmo felt uncomfortable seeing her mother really angry for the first time.

Dennis cleared his throat and stammered, "W-well, if we're okay with eating p-plants, then-"

"Then what?" challenged Hertia. "Then it's perfectly alright to kill off our trees just to heat your soup? We spent all day using the natural energy of the sun to heat our meal, because _we don't want to make the same mistakes again_."

"B-but it-"

"If you only care about the temperature of your meal, then you'll just have to wait until we restore our sustainable way of life." Hertia glanced at Nicholas and added, "Which would likely take _several years_ to do so."

A tense silence filled the next few seconds. Hector looked around the table and cautiously said, "If Dennis doesn't want his soup, I can take it."

"Thank you, Hector." said Hertia, her voice still sounding cold. "Even _he_ appreciates the work we've done just to survive."

As Hertia continued staring at Dennis, his face almost looked guilty. But then Dennis managed to glare back and he sneered, "I can see that I'm not wanted here. Well that is perfectly fine with me." He got up from his seat and stomped his way out of the building.

Hector shrugged his shoulders and said, "I guess I'm eating his soup." He grabbed the bowl and sipped it slower than usual.

Hertia sat back down and now her face showed regret. "I'm sorry you had to see me that way, Galaxina and Cosmo."

"It's okay." said Galaxina. "We understand. You just want to make sure we can be a happy civilization again."

Lucas reached across the table to put his hand on Hertia's shoulder. "And we shall help you every step of the way."

Hertia looked up at Lucas and smiled. "Thank you."

Cosmo stared at her mother and the Seedrian that was supposed to be her father. Somehow, seeing them care for each other was as discomforting as seeing Hertia angry.

Across from Cosmo, Elias sighed and said with a grin, "Well, we cannot let that incident ruin our first meal! Come on, let's talk about something completely different!"

"Oh! Lucas!" Nicholas spoke up. "Remember when you were trying to recall what happened when you, well, woke up in this world? I mean, I don't think you told everyone else here..."

"Look, I don't think I have every detail correct, and I still don't know how it would explain how we got here."

"We can share stories!" suggested Hector. "So we can get _something_ to think about." Most of the other Seedrians talked in agreement.

Lucas smiled and said, "All right, all right." The other Seedrians set down their dishes to listen. Cosmo wondered if Lucas' account would be any similar to hers.

Elias prompted, "So explain this again; you were facing the animal creatures trying to stop you-"

"Right, and then as a last resort I tried to create a universe-wide explosion by using the Planet Egg's energy to build a gravitational field." responded Lucas. "I was... very desperate at the time. Anyway, two of the animals couldn't go through the field, and I was confident that my plan would succeed, until..." He looked over to Cosmo. "She floated through the barrier and prevented me from building up the field."

Cosmo remembered _why_ she decided to do that; she received a vision of her mother, telling her, "You can do this. You just have to use your crystal to save your friends and everyone else." Cosmo looked over at Hertia at the table; was that vision just from her conscience, or did Hertia actually speak to Cosmo? And if so, did she know of Cosmo's friends... and love?

Lucas continued, "Cosmo attached herself to me, and since she was without her stone, she quickly grew into a massive tree. I could hear her tell her friends to shoot her, so that I could be destroyed."

At this, Cosmo remembered how she pleaded directly to Tails to fire at her. Lucas must have clearly heard her. When Lucas paused, Cosmo grew anxious. Was he going to tell everyone, right now, that she obviously had a close bond with a fox?

Lucas looked again at Cosmo for a second, then finished, "...And so they did shoot. Right, Cosmo?"

"...Yes, that is right." responded Cosmo. She drooped her head down as she pondered exactly why Lucas refrained from leaving out that rather important detail.

"Now here is where things get fuzzy." said Lucas, which caused the other Seedrians to lean in closely. "I felt the large impact of the shot, but then I noticed my dark surroundings were slowly... cracking open. And yet at the same time, I was in this forest area filled with light. I felt like my mind was finally clear, and I knew that what I have done was opposite to what I truly wanted."

Hertia reached across the table and put her hand on Lucas'. "And so I forgave him."

Lucas smiled and went on, "Hertia let me come with her, and a bright light emerged, enveloping everything. And then I woke up in this world, met all of you again, and here we are."

Hector clapped his hands and sniffled, "That's a very good story, Lucas."

Nicholas added a little more cynically, "Yes, but it still doesn't make it clear how the rest of us came to be in this world."

"But what matters is that we have _something_ to go on." reminded Elias. "I too think that I saw a bright light shortly after I died. And it certainly _wasn't_ from that blast that blew my head off." Some other Seedrians nodded.

Galaxina looked over at Dennis' empty chair and added, "I guess we can assume Dennis saw a bright light too."

Cosmo recalled the bright light she experienced, but she didn't see her mother right before it happened. She just had a moment with Tails, only she felt like her younger self. Cosmo was pretty sure she reverted back to her young state during that moment, and every time she looked at her reflection in the water, she certainly was her younger self as opposed to her grown-up self.

The only thing was that she no longer had the stone that prevented her from instant aging. In fact, no one had such a stone. But she remembered having it when she went to have one last meeting with Tails, trying to comfort him...

"I believe we're finished with the food, Hertia." said Nicholas before he picked up his bowl. The other Seedrians picked up the rest of the dishes and took them and the empty soup pot outside, where there was a small river suitable enough to provide cleaning water. As Cosmo washed her bowl, she considered what Lucas had said of what happened to him; if it was true, then all of the Seedrians might have been brought back alive at the same time, if they all saw a bright light.

Galaxina finished washing her bowl and asked Cosmo, "Do you want to come back with us to sleep for tonight?"

"Uh... not yet." said Cosmo. "I think I'll stay here for a while. I need to think..."

Galaxina was a bit confused on Cosmo's reasoning, but she nodded and advised, "Just be careful not to get into any trouble. We still can't be sure if the males are to be trusted."

Cosmo nodded and slowly started walking along the river. As far as Cosmo knew, the river stretched on toward a small lake a few minutes away from the homes. She kept walking along; Cosmo tried comprehending the events that occured upon her death, if she really died in the blast, and how she was able to see Tails soon afterwards. However, it was too confusing for her, and Cosmo sat on the grass to rest. She looked into the river and again saw her reflection, looking just like how she appeared throughout her adventure. Well, without the stone.

She looked up to the night sky and all the stars. Tails' home must have been further away than the smallest star was; even if the Seedrians reconstructed space travelling vehicles, Cosmo would have no idea where his planet would be. Or if they would be willing to let Cosmo search for it at all.

Cosmo heard some footsteps in the distance. She turned around and saw Lucas' silhouette walking through some trees. He seemed to be going in the direction of the river. Cosmo wondered what he would be doing out here. Was he also wondering about his death? She cautiously stepped behind a tree and watched him.

Lucas stood among the tree cluster, apparently in deep thought. He put his hand on one large tree and sighed. Lucas' head perked; had he heard Cosmo standing nearby? Lucas turned around and, as if he heard something, stepped toward the middle of the cluster. He noticed a faint white glow on the area he was standing in. Lucas also seemed to see something, but Cosmo couldn't see what it was.

A few seconds later, Lucas appeared surprised, then stubborn. "You who controls the light... is this what you wanted?" he said outloud, even though no one else was there.

Those first words "You who controls the light" slowly made Cosmo remember about the legends she learned of Sonic. Was Lucas actually speaking to him?

Lucas continued looking stern and continued, "You never change, you guys... You destroy planets and you try to destroy space and provoke its destruction." With a prouder look, he added, "Our descendents will correct this; in the future they will try it." He paused, and his pride faded before he said, "But with everything, you still try to oppose us..."

For a moment, Lucas appeared to be closely listening. Maybe Sonic was making a defense in his typical confident manner. After a few seconds, Lucas smiled and chuckled. He walked out of the glowing spot back toward the stone homes. "Good night, indeed." Lucas sighed as he continued walking away.

Cosmo looked back at the spot, but it was no longer glowing. She leaned back on the tree, perplexed again. The whole night raised several questions for her, but Cosmo was too tired to ponder them. _My family is waiting... I should go back to them..._ Cosmo thought as she headed back to her home.

Maybe tomorrow night she'd come back to contact Tails.

* * *

><p><em>I hope I didn't create too many plot questions in one chapter. Rest assured, answers will gradually appear in Cosmo's subsequent chapters. Anyway, in case Lucas' talk at the end didn't tip you off, we're reaching the time period at the very end of Sonic X. In the meantime, please review and tell anyone else to review this story as well. (It could motivate me to update faster!)<em>


	5. Chris Leaves

_I'm back again, and I'm here to give you another chapter before this fanfic goes into what might be another eight month hiatus (college again). Yes, I know you're tired of long waits in between chapters, but at least we're moving quickly in the plot! These events would take place in the last Sonic X episode, of course, and we shall see further plot developments that take place on Mobius!_

Chapter 5: Chris Leaves

Sunlight landed on Tails' face, signalling the start of yet another day. Tails groggily pushed away the bed cover and stepped toward the desk where he kept Cosmo's plant. He opened his eyes and saw the sprout that was just a little taller than last time. Tails smiled and sighed, "It'll be beautiful for sure." The plant had grown quite gradually over the past few days, but it was as healthy as Tails could keep it. He grabbed the small watering can he kept nearby and poured a little bit of water on the sprout. Whatever the plant was, it seemed glad to take the water.

Tails figured he should get some breakfast himself. He headed toward his small kitchen, passing the "famous painting" that Knuckles gave him. Tails didn't want to leave the frame on the floor, so he decided that the wall near the kitchen was blank enough for it. He grabbed a box of cereal from the cupboard, but Tails felt that it was lighter than before. "Hm, it's getting empty. I should buy more sometime." said Tails as he set the box down next to a bowl. Tails then walked to a drawer to get his usual eating spoon. He actually hadn't come around to use Amy's utensils, but Tails was planning on using it before the next time he saw Amy. The gift was still resting above Tails' usual utensil drawer.

Tails made himself a bowl of cereal and ate quietly. He pondered on what he was going to do today. Lately Tails was organizing his equipment ever since coming back, as well as taking care of the plant and doing some repairs to the X Tornado. Maybe he could do more of that...

A couple of knocks on his door interrupted his thoughts. _Don't tell me that's Amy asking about the utensils_, mentally groaned Tails. He hastily opened the box to grab one of the spoons and quickly dipped it into the cereal. Tails then rushed to the door and opened it while bracing himself. "...Oh, it's only you, Chris." said Tails, finally relaxing.

"Y-yeah. Uh, did I come at a wrong time?" asked Chris.

"No, I thought you were Amy." Tails answered with a nervous chuckle. "I had to throw one of her spoons in my breakfast so that, uh, in case she _was_ here, she'd be glad that I was actually using it."

"Haha, yeah, I can see. Uh, can I come in, or should I wait until you're done?"

"You can come in." sighed Tails before he went back to his cereal. Chris sat on the opposite side of the table and rested one arm on the surface. He remained quiet for Tails to finish his breakfast. Tails slowly finished the last bit of cereal before asking, "Why did you want to see me?"

"Well, the truth is Cream wanted me to check on you." answered Chris. "This morning she told me to see you and ask if you were feeling better. Uh, than last time, that is."

"You can tell her yes." Tails replied. Technically it was true that, since the last time they came to see him, he had felt better, but not much. In fact, very little. He put the bowl and both the regular spoon and fancy spoon in the sink. "Hm, and if you see Amy, just tell her I used her gift."

Chris raised his arm and started, "Oh, that reminds me, Amy and Cream also wanted me to tell you that they're coming here to give you the cake and pie they made!"

"Huh? That's today?" Tails hurried to check the calendar and saw he nearly forgot about those arrangements. "Thanks for reminding me."

"No problem." Chris followed Tails to the living area, and noticed the notebook that he gave him on the shelf. "So, did you check out the ideas I made?"

Tails cautiously nodded and took out the notebook. "Yes, I looked through your book of ideas, and I like some of them."

"Good!" Chris stared for a moment before asking, "Wait, why do only like _some_ of them?"

"They're all good, really!" Tails flipped through the notebook and said, "I just think a few are confusing. Like..." He stopped at a page and asked, "Why would the X Tornado need a car transformation?"

"Well, there might be a situation when the X Tornado would need to travel fast on land." explained Chris. "The X-Cyclone form is good for walking over difficult terrain, but it cannot go at any higher speeds. On land."

"But it doesn't need to because the X Tornado is fast enough in the air." said Tails as he placed the notebook down. "Look, I don't want to discuss things like this because, well, I'm still working on getting the X Tornado back in its original condition."

"That's okay, I can help you!" Chris offered excitedly.

"Actually, I kind of wanted to repair it by myself..." Tails responded. He saw Chris' face gradually show disappointment. "Hey, it's not because of you. It's just-"

"Cosmo. I know."

"No, I..." Tails couldn't bring himself to deny it. It had only been a couple of weeks since it happened; did anyone really expect him to be completely happy in that time?

Chris sat near Tails and said, "Listen, if it's any consolation, I know what it's like to lose friends that you'll never see again. I mean, when I came back to this world, I had to leave behind my friends. You remember Danny and Francis? And Helen?"

"Yeah, of course I remember them." Tails could tell where this was going, and he knew that it wasn't quite the same as his problem.

"I'm probably stuck here for the rest of my life, and I still miss them." continued Chris. "If I had the chance to see them once again, I'd take it."

Tails made another sigh; that was the point where the two problems were not the same. "Of course you can see _your_ friends again. They're not _dead_."

Chris quickly realized his mistake and nervously yelled, "Okay, bad choice of words! Sorry!" He saw that Tails still wasn't happy. Chris ran a hand through his hair and added, "There's still something I have that makes me almost forget that I lost friends. And that something is all of you guys." Chris smiled and went on, "I wouldn't mind staying here because I know I can count on Sonic and Knuckles and everyone else to be there for me. And we can be there for you too."

Tails nodded and managed to give a small grin. "Sure, I'll remember that." He glanced out the window and asked, "Do you have to go anywhere today?"

"Well, I should check on Knuckles." replied Chris. "You know how he is with the Master Emerald."

"Yeah, I know." Tails said with a chuckle. "I guess you can go. I'm fine now. Maybe another day we can work on some projects."

"Sure thing! In a week or so I could come over with my tools. And we could build a brand new Typhoon!" Chris walked over to the front door and opened it, then turned to look back at Tails. "And just remember, all of us can help you." He walked out, waving goodbye to Tails.

They didn't know it yet, but it would be for the last time.

A couple of hours after the meeting with Chris, Tails was at work repairing the X Tornado. He was actually close to getting it completely fixed, though Tails wanted to do it in peaceful solitude. One of the other things Tails liked about working in his garage was having a view right in front of the beach. This was probably one of the only times where he could feel like his old self.

Tails was working on the interior when he heard a light voice call, "Hey, we're here!" Cream and Cheese, along with Amy, stood in front of the garage carrying their desserts.

Tails put on his best smile and peeked out from the vehicle. "Hi!" He hovered down to the floor and wiped his face. "Uh, I should set up a table outside."

"No, we can do it for you!" Cream said cheerfully, setting down her cake.

Amy put down her apple pie and added, "Besides, you're all oily, and we don't want that on the tasty stuff we worked so hard on!"

"Heheh, right." Tails headed to the washroom while Amy, Cream and Cheese set up a table and chairs. When Tails was all clean, he grabbed a few plates, glasses, and utensils from the kitchen and carried them to the table on the beach.

Amy at first looked confused. "Uh, Tails?" She tried putting on a happy face and asked, "Don't you think it would be a _wonderful_ moment to use _fancy_ forks and knives?"

Tails hesitantly put the dishes on the table and replied, "Uh, you know, I was thinking the same thing, but, well, I already used your gift. And I didn't get around to washing it."

The look on Amy's face told Tails that she saw through the half-truths. But then she relaxed and said, "If you don't want to use the stuff right away, you don't have to. I can tell you're still struggling with... what happened."

Cream started slicing her cake and said with a grin, "Don't worry, Tails. Let's just focus on dessert!"

The four friends gathered around the table, eating the cake and pie while listening to the sounds of the beach. Tails was always impressed with Cream's baking skills, and this time was no different. Amy also wasn't bad at baking too. After a few minutes, they started talking about what happened to them during the past week.

"Sonic didn't show it, but I could tell he was glad to see me!" bragged Amy with glee. "I told him that if he was feeling bored, I'm always free for a date! And you know what he said?"

"What did he say, Amy?" asked Cream, both she and Cheese staring with expectation.

"He said, 'A date with you is more likely than me getting bored.'" Amy strained to keep her excitement in. "Can you believe it? Sonic actually wants to give me a chance!" She and Cream and Cheese cheered at Amy's fortune.

Tails slightly chuckled and commented, "Well, what do you know? Sonic is finally interested in you." The idea of Sonic being a lover seemed kind of silly to Tails, but then again, Tails never thought he himself would be romantic with someone until Cosmo came. _She was the only one that I felt truly in love with..._ thought Tails. He quickly tried to take his mind off her by grabbing a piece of cake and taking a bite.

Amy raised a finger and spoke, "He was _always_ interested in me. I just had to make him realize it." Cream, Cheese, and Tails laughed along with her. "Hey, Tails! You better be careful with all that food. You could get too pudgy to fly!"

Cream giggled, "Amy and I were just talking about that on the way here! We also talked about whether Tails or Cheese would win in a flying race."

"My bet's on Cheese." said Amy. "Not that I think you are slow at flying, Tails, but I think it'd be cool to see Cheese win."

"Well, maybe some other time, we'll see if that's true." Tails answered before finishing his cake.

"Yes, it would be good exercise." Cream said as she put her arm on Tails' shoulder. "It's a good way to cool down from the events that happened."

Tails could see Cream's caring eyes and felt the way she held his shoulder. _She really seems to like me a lot recently..._ thought Tails. He could only smile and nod.

* * *

><p>Cosmo walked down the river, just as she had done last night. If her memory was correct, she should find the tree cluster that Lucas was in when he spoke to Sonic. As Cosmo stepped along the water, she looked up at the night sky, seeing the several stars again. Tails' world had to be somewhere up there, right? <em>Would Tails even want to see me again? After what I made him do?<em> pondered Cosmo.

She cleared her thoughts when she saw the same tree cluster that Lucas used to be in. Cosmo walked into the cluster and, just like last time, there was a faint, white glow in the grass. Her vision suddenly became filled with light, until she no longer saw the cluster. She was instead beside a tree on a hilltop, with a resting hedgehog at the base. Cosmo knew that must have been Sonic, who was probably in the same place that he was when Lucas talked to him. But what should she say to him? She'd probably have a limited time to speak to Sonic.

Cosmo took a second to think of something, then she said, "Sonic, send a message to all of my wonderful friends." She smiled and went on, "Tell them... I'm alright. I am with my mother. We have found a new home, filled with peace and tranquility." Of course, her home wasn't entirely peaceful and tranquil, but it was still enough for her to tell Sonic so he and the others could rest easy. "Harmony reigns here, and we are at one with nature. Tell them all that they are noble and good, and because of them, the darkness has been vanquished!"

She stared at Sonic for a moment, who seemed to be contently listening. Cosmo knew she had to give a personal message to Tails. "Tell Tails to look to the trees and the sky. That is where I will be."

"I'll tell him." said Sonic with a grin. He got up and added, "And hey, I know I'm not much for getting mushy or anything, but I want you to know, Cosmo..." Sonic turned his head toward Cosmo, gave his classic thumbs-up, and stated, "It was sure great having you around!" With that, he sped down the hill and into the horizon.

Cosmo felt herself disappearing from the world, and she said, "Goodbye, Sonic. Goodbye." After that, her vision brightened again, and she was back in the tree cluster. Cosmo took a deep breath, then she stepped out of the cluster and back toward her home. Maybe she could finally have a good night's sleep knowing Sonic would deliver her message to all of her friends.

* * *

><p>Tails carefully placed his plant on one of his garage desks. "Here the plant could get more sun this way." he said to Cream and Amy, who stayed to help him move the plant. "And I can check on it while I'm working!"<p>

"Great idea, Tails!" Cream said cheerfully as Cheese agreed. She looked at the sprout and observed the two leaves it had. "I think you'll do a fine job raising it."

Amy started to pack her things outside and began, "Now that we finished dessert and helped Tails, I think we should be getting home by-" A blue blur appeared and stopped in front of the garage. "Sonic! What a surprise to see you!" gushed Amy, dropping her things.

Sonic, however, had a serious look on his face. "Amy, Cream, Tails, Cheese. There's something I have to tell you." The named four stepped to Sonic to hear what he had to say. "...Chris is gone."

At first, Tails was confused at what Sonic meant. "What do you mean 'he's gone'?"

Sonic sighed and explained, "I was running on my usual path when I noticed a flying rocket pod, headed to outer space. The only person that would build something like that recently would be Eggman." He took a breath and continued, "And I knew that Chris wanted to go back to his own world. So I realized that he was the only one that would be on that pod."

Cream, Cheese, and Amy simultaneously expressed their shock at the news, but Tails couldn't hear them. _Chris... just left? After what he told me before?_ thought Tails as his hands formed into fists. "...But he said he would build a new Typhoon with me!"

"I know you're upset that he left without saying goodbye." said Sonic to the four. "But I have a feeling Eggman had something to do with that. He wanted Chris out of the way so he could come out of hiding. Eggman probably has a new scheme we have to stop."

Amy, Cream, and Cheese started yelling about their hatred for Eggman, but Tails just stared as the things Chris told him came back to his mind.

_...Cream wanted me to check on you...did you check out the ideas I made?...I can help you!...I know what it's like to lose friends that you'll never see again...If I had the chance to see them once again, I'd take it...I wouldn't mind staying here because I know I can count on Sonic and Knuckles and everyone else to be there for me. And we can be there for you too...we could build a brand new Typhoon!...all of us can help you..._

"He told me he could help me..." breathed Tails, who still was unaware of the conversation between Sonic and the others. "Did Chris just... _forget_ about me? Did he think I wouldn't care if he came back to check on me?" Tails clenched his teeth and shut his eyes to restrain tears. "Are his friends _really_ more important than us?"

Of course, Chris deliberately left his human friends in the first place. He considered his Mobian friends important as he came in at the start of the Metarex raid. In Tails' mind, more memories started to surface, this time of what happened when Chris _arrived_ at Mobius.

It started when the Master Emerald started to shine brightly, so Tails hurried to tell Sonic and the others. He also saw that the plant girl was alright, which had removed his guilt for letting her fall out of his plane. Tails was quick to greet Chris, and the plant girl seemed pleased to make a new acquaintance. When Sonic collapsed due to the battle he endured minutes earlier, the girl looked rather frightened at Sonic's unconscious body. As they carried Sonic to Vanilla's house to rest, the plant girl let Tails and Chris know that her name was Cosmo.

At the house, Cosmo started explaining more about the Metarex, but also showed more of her personality. She was able to firmly deny Knuckles' suspicions, yet grew teary-eyed as she said that all her people were killed by the Metarex, and she didn't want others to know what she had to go through. Tails recognized the gravity of the situation, and decided it was best to leave Cosmo to herself. Apparently, Chris also realized the magnitude of what he got himself into.

When they gathered outside, Cosmo was surprised at Sonic's confidence in getting the Chaos Emeralds back. Tails figured it would be the best time to show them the Blue Typhoon he originally made to stop Eggman. Chris and Cosmo were certainly impressed at Tails' handiwork. Knuckles tried objecting to the Master Emerald's use as an energy source, but the girls, including Cosmo, beated Knuckles up to comply. Tails watched from one of the control rooms and was surprised to see Cosmo's determination in such an agressive way. Perhaps he also started admiring Cosmo more for her persistence in her cause.

During the preparation for their journey, Chris showed Tails how better he became at technology and, in a sense, was just like his grandfather Chuck. Cosmo tried to help with bringing food to the ship, but occasionally her clumsiness got in the way. Though Cosmo told them she was fine after every fall, Tails was concerned of her safety considering the things she had to go through. When the Metarex returned to stop the Blue Typoon, Chris was relatively calm about the situation. Thanks to the Sonic Drive Cannon and Chris' assistance in his Hyper Tornado, the machine was destroyed so they could take off into space. Tails watched Cosmo gaze at receding Mobius, as they headed out to planets beyond...

"Tails? Tails!" called Sonic, shaking Tails out of his trance. "If we want to get the first chance at stopping Eggman, we have to do it now. You think the X Tornado is ready to fly again?"

Tails stepped to the X Tornado and, with his back to the others, he discreetly wiped any tears forming. _Eggman made Chris abandon us..._ thought Tails. He grew a determined face and turned back to Sonic. "Let's go."

"Atta boy, Tails!" Sonic cheered as Amy, Cream and Cheese got in the two back seats of the X Tornado. "I'll track down Eggman on foot, and you be ready for aerial support!" He then rushed out of the garage and along the beach.

Tails took one last check on the plant, then opened the door to the cockpit. "Everyone ready, here we go!" He got inside, secured himself, and put the X Tornado on full throttle. _We will make you pay, Eggman... even if I have to die trying._ With that thought, Tails put aside his sadness for vengeance.

* * *

><p><em>Now that this chapter ended the moment the anime ended, this fanfic shall now go into pure fanfiction territory. There'll actually be more memory moments from Tails, but most of the plot would be from my construction. Oh, and just to reassure you that I'm not dead, I will also get around to reviewing the popular TailsxCosmo fanseries, <em>After the Metarex_! Yes, I have some very specific thoughts on these fanfics, and after consulting my sister, I've decided that I should let out those thoughts on certain chapters (respectfully, of course). If you're interested, then stay tuned for that. Otherwise, be prepared for the first part of Eggman's new plan!_


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